Welfare payments now made to half the Irish population

Queue outside a social welfare office in Dublin. The New York Times questions Ireland’s highly-praised economic recoveryGoogle Images

Almost half the Irish population is now in receipt of a social welfare payment from the government as the recession deepens.

New figures show that the cost to the exchequer is spiralling as long term unemployment grows.
Last year alone saw a 40 per cent increase in the total cost of payments to those on Jobseekers Allowance.

Shockingly, a third of all money spent by the Irish state in 2010 went to welfare recipients.

Figures from the Department of Social Protection confirm that a whopping $29.3billion was paid by the Irish government to welfare recipients in 2010.